Even high-tech firms can become overwhelmed by the options for external storage. The sprawling data backup world features dozens of options, all of which offer sophisticated protection. Backup shoppers must suss out web-based storage tools against those that connect directly to computers. To keep the market straight, here are our picks for some of the best ways to back up your business.

My Passport SE for Mac(Western Digital, $199)
Apple's Time Machine system gets all the love, but don't overlook other slick backup tools for Macs. The 1 terabyte My Passport solid-state drive from Western Digital is mind-boggling. We will spare you the geek drivel here. This compact box can store everything you will ever create in your business, and you can carry it in your pocket. Mac users, need we say more?

ioSafe Solo SSD, 64GB(K.L. Security Enterprises, $495)
The toughest backup drive we know that can withstand any disaster is the ioSafe from K.L. Security Enterprises. It protects your business data from a 5,000-pound crush force and a blaze of up to 1,550 degrees Fahrenheit. Plus, it can survive being under 30 feet of water for 30 days. It's expensive, but when it absolutely has to be secure, it has to be ioSafe.

Dropbox(2GB of service is free, 100GB storage is $19.99 a month)
The online storage world is jammed with quality providers but, for our money, none of them holds a candle to MIT spinout Dropbox. This online storage utility creates a single folder on your desktop that syncs all your stuff across your PC, notebook and mobile device. Dropbox can be expensive when storing a lot of material, but for virtual solutions, it's tough to beat.

LaCie Network Space MAX, 2TB
(LaCie, $279)
At last, a hard drive cool enough to go not under, but on your desk. LaCie gets points for making a storage tool that looks fabulous and has the capacity to store and share media and heavy graphics. The unit supports so-called Gigabit Ethernet, which runs at the fastest possible speeds for a copper networking cable, and it also works via USB drive. For both form and function (and heavy data loads), go to the MAX.